Elizabeth Joseph, whose talk was moved from a classroom to the First Amendment Forum so she could speak to around 65 guests who attended, said her entrance to journalism was an untraditional one. She originally studied for a career in law, but a friend suggested that she apply for an internship with The View late in college. Joseph took the internship and discovered she had a passion for reporting news stories.
After The View internship, Joseph moved on to work for ABC again as an intern to learn more about the basics of journalism.
“I treated every job as graduate school,” she said, explaining that her professional experiences were also her journalism education. “I had no background in journalism, so I had to absorb knowledge like a sponge.”
Joseph credited her success to her rigorous work ethic.
“You have to be confident in yourself and make yourself into a valuable asset. Just be persistent,” she said. People who put up a front and hide their bad work habits “have a shelf life” at news organizations, Joseph said.
Joseph said her efforts to network with potential employers and colleagues within the news industry are what helped her land a job.
“It’s a very fluid industry,” Joseph said. “You will often find that the person who offered you the internship last time is working at another company that may be able to hire.”
In her time working at ABC, Joseph worked at “Good Morning America” and later ” Primetime” and “20/20.” There she met Barbara Walters. Joseph said she deeply admires the work ethic Walters put forth.
“She is the hardest working woman ever,” she said “Barbara is a pioneer for women in journalism.”
For those interested in working in international news, Joseph said, “it kills your personal life and not every day will be a walk in the park, but that’s what makes it so interesting and exciting.”
Samuel Burke,a 2009 graduate of the Walter Cronkite School and current anchor and producer for CNN en Español, introduced Joseph and expressed his admiration for her work ethic.
“Whereas one person would make one phone call to search for sources or fact check, Elizabeth will make 10,” he said. “She brings a whole new level each story she works on by going the extra 100 miles to make sure the story is good.”
Contact the reporter psotelo@asu.edu
